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Description:

Grants of $15,000 and grants of $25,000 to New England region, USA individual documentary filmmakers supported by a nonprofit fiscal sponsor to help cover film production costs. The Foundation encourages applicants to be in contact before submitting an LOI to determine eligibility and level of interest. Applications are accepted from filmmakers in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

LEF invests in documentary film and video projects that demonstrate excellence in technique, originality of vision and voice, and creativity in form. Both first-time and advanced filmmakers are encouraged to apply. Priority will go to small-scale films where grant funding can have a more substantial impact.

There are two types of grants available:

1. Production grants ($15,000): Funds may be used for shooting picture and sound, early stage editing, equipment costs, materials, travel, and staffing (creative, technical, or otherwise).

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Eligibility:

Additional Eligibility Criteria:

- Projects must be long format; running times of 40 minutes or more.
- Primary creative personnel (director and/or producer) must reside in New England (Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine).
- Priority will be given to smaller scale projects with budgets under $400,000.
- Students enrolled in degree-granting programs may not apply.
- Multi-channel or installation work will not be considered.
- Applicants MUST have a fiscal sponsor (a nonprofit with a 501[c]3 designation from the federal government) that has agreed to manage the fiscal activity of the grant.

In order to be eligible for Post-Production support, the project for which you are applying must have received previous LEF support. For prior grantees, a final report on previous LEF grant funding is required.

Pre-Application Information:

The Moving Image Fund’s Production and Post-Production Grants have a two-part application process. Filmmakers interested in applying for project support must first submit a letter of inquiry. From these initial inquiries, a smaller pool of applicants is notified in early March about whether they are invited to submit a full application.

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the LEF New England office to determine eligibility and level of interest prior to submitting a letter of inquiry.

Please note: There is a 21-day limit on saved applications, which can be refreshed each time you re-save your application. It is recommended to draft and save your work in an offline file, in case you encounter any issues when saving your work online.